Mrs Pickwick too is liable to similar moments. Often, I cooch up with her on Saturday mornings with thoughts of love in my mind and stare deeply into those hazel eyes I have loved for over 20 years. It is only then that I discover that she is composing a list of things she and I need to do that weekend driven by duty or necessity.

I realise that clearing out a few rooms is only a baby step towards making real changes but it's certainly a step in the right direction. Hopefully it will mean I can start focusing my time on what's really important - my family, my health and my personal goals.

Parents, beware - because this is also the season of chores, DIY and Spring Cleaning. With the remaining long weekend upon us, what is the best way for families to free up their time so that they can spend quality time together?

I know it has been a long time coming but after one of the coldest and longest winters on record it looks like spring is finally here; rejoice! However, your excitement may be short-lived when you remember that spring is not just synonymous with new born animals and budding daffodils but the dreaded spring cleaning also.

Statistics show we're making more purchases and accumulating more clutter in our lives than ever before. In a society that continues to support excessive production of short-lived, disposable items, it is not just our closets that are jam-packed.

In the 21st Century we can live such busy lives that it's very easy to lose awareness of the ability we all have to control our emotions, our state of mind and the skill of planning for happiness. Rather than just letting life happen to you, how much better might it be to consciously steer it, through your actions, thought and feelings, in a more positive direction?

I remember my granny saying that she never felt old, that she never noticed time passing, and I know what she means now. In the Tarot of midlife, I am shifting from the Empress card of fertility and family to the High Priestess, the goddess within.